Rainbows and Unicorns
by Natalie Elizabeth
Summary: Set during the final scene of Always. Kate contemplates what she almost lost and grabs hold of what she wants.


Rainbows and Unicorns

By

Natalie Elizabeth

Beckett gave Castles hand a squeeze before pulling him in the direction of his room. She had waited way to long, to admit her feelings for him. Now wasn't time to hesitate showing him. Today could have been her last! She had lost her mother's killer today; she could have lost her life. Yet none of that seemed important in the grand scheme of things. Castle! She could have lost Castle today. Her drive to seek vengeance for someone she had lost almost caused her to lose someone else she loved. For the first time in her life , her mother wasn't on her mind. Dangling from the ledge, death looming up at her like the concrete below, Castle had been on her mind. Castle and only Castle.

She had screamed out _no_ into the universe. _No not like this_. She didn't want to die with unresolved issues. Not the name of the men who had organised her mother's death, that hadn't been it. She had screamed _NO_ because she didn't want to leave this world having Castle think she didn't love him. Have him think the last 4 years of their life meant nothing to her. As her fingers began to slip she had called out Castles name. If she was going to leave this world than she wanted his name on her lips. Her body practically exploded with hope, when she thought she heard his voice. He had come, he hadn't given up on her. Calling for him with what she thought was her last breath she felt his hand clasp her arm. Except it wasn't Castle, it was Ryan. Ryan had caught her, Ryan had called for her. It had taken looking at Ryan for five seconds for her she realised it wasn't Castle. His eyes were blue, but not Castle blue. Castle wasn't there, he hadn't come for her, she had thought she was too late.

Gates steely glare had Beckett getting into the back of the police vehicle instead of running to Castle. It was basic procedure, Gates chewing her out. What she did was wrong, she knew that now. Maybe dangling from that ledge had caused her to rethink more things than she realised. Like the fact she didn't want to be a cop anymore. If she was going to live her life, really live, than she needed to distance herself from all that. She would use all her connections and maybe even some of Castles to get Esposito off suspension. Lying was on the top of things she was going to do, in order to help him.

Running straight into Castles arms had been her first thought, but she needed to do some clean up first. Clean up her life, starting with her mother. Visiting her mothers grave was always hard but this time was particularly hard. No one liked going to their parents and admitting they had done something wrong, done something that they were told not to do.

"_Don't regret one single second of your life Katie"_

Kate had looked at her mother's head stone and wept.

"_Mummy I've been bad. I haven't been living"_

Standing in the rain Kate unleashed everything she had been holding in since her mother had died. The pain. The hurt. The confusion. She was no longer going to lie to herself and the rest of the world, she wasn't fine but she would be. It was as if the rain was washing away all her sins, it was giving her a clean slate. So she stood there in the rain allowing it to help her grieve. Before going to Castle she had made one more stop, to the swings where she had first talked to Castle after their three month absence. He had followed her that day when she honestly though he would have continued to walk away. Opening up to him had been hard, yet she had done it. At least partly and that was why she had returned there. To remember how she felt when he first saw him again, the elation, the fear. To regain that strength she had pulled for somewhere deep inside her to face him. The swings were also symbolic of Castle, his youthful look on life. She wanted to take time out to do something so basic like play on a swing with Castle. To sit there holding the chain tightly in her hands while she flew higher and higher. Yet each time returning to the safety of Castle arms, standing behind her like he always did.

Hand in hand together they walked towards his room, the only sound the thunder of the storm. It may be the proverbial dark and stormy night, but for once in her life she wasn't scared. Castle was here with her. Castle was here, she was here, and they were together. Nothing else mattered. Opening the door she let go of his hand and looked at the bed before her.

"Kate"

Kate turned at Castle calling her buy her first name, they were Kate and Rick now.

"We need to get you out of those wet clothes."

A smile broke out on her face as her eyebrows rose. "Really Castle, using a pick up line on me."

Castle's face remained stoic as he walked towards her. "I am serious, we need to warm you up."

He gently guided her to his bathroom and slowly started to remove her clothes. It wasn't until then that she realised she was even cold. Just thinking about seeing Castle, about being in his arms, had warmed her heart and her body. The idea of standing in a white tiled glass cubicle on her own made her shiver even more. As she removed her wet jeans from her body Castle turned on the shower and soon the room was filling with steam.

"You know Rick, your shirt is quite wet. We wouldn't want you to catch a cold."

It was his turn to smile now.

"Now that is some pick up line."

It was quiet the turn of events as she now looked at him with a serious expression on her face.

"I don't want to be alone Rick."

He nodded. "Get in ill be back in a second."

For once in her life she did as Castle wanted. She stripped off the last of hr wet clothes and stepped under the warm soothing spray. Castle's shower warmed her body just like, Castle's love warmed her heart. It wasn't long before the door opened and Castle slipped in behind her. His arms wrapped around her immediately and she leaned back into him. Together they stood silently as the water washed over them. Beckett turned and rested her head on his shoulder wrapping her arms around his neck. She then began to pepper kisses over his neck until he turned his head and coaxed her lips into kissing his. Her lips obliged and she soon found her hand entangled in his hair as she pulled his head closer to hers. Soon they were a tangle limbs as the shower became streamy and not because of the hot water. Castle had been the one to stop before it got any more heated than kisses and roaming hands. He shut the water off and wrapped her in the fluffiest towel although she preferred his arms. He guided her back into his room and she immediately felt the heat hit her skin. Castle had been one busy man. The lights were dimed in the room now, along with the heat being turned on. His bead had been turned down and there were now two glasses of wine on the bedside table. Removing her towel Beckett climbed into the bed ignoring the wine, she didn't want anything to cloud her mind or judgement tonight. Castle joined her in the bed and drew her back into his arms. Normally one to take control Beckett took the submissive side tonight as Castle slid over her body. She wanted to lose control tonight and this take charge attitude Castle was sporting was very arousing. Castles lips ran over her throat before descending to her chest and finally her scar. She barely felt his lips caress her scar he was being gentle, to gentle.

"Rick, I am not fine china, I won't break."

His head rose from her chest and he brought himself back up to her eyelevel. He stroked back a strand of wet hair.

"I know but you are precious to me and I don't want to do anything... "

Kate silenced him with her lips before pulling back and looked into his endlessly deep blue eyes.

"I love you."

Kate opened her eyes and stretched her hand hitting something hard. She turned her head and smiled when she saw Castles sleeping form next to her. Last night had been wonderful. Castle introduced her to the world of love with every kiss, every touch. Kate's face hurt from smiling so much and she had only been awake for a few seconds. She snuggled deep into him before kissing him on his naked chest. He had a wonderful body and she had spent most of last night getting to know each and every square inch of it. Now that she was awake she had a new craving, coffee. Castle had told her the reason he brought her coffee was to see her smile. The truth was she didn't smile because he gave her coffee, she smiled because it meant seeing him. It was time she made him smile by bringing him coffee. Reluctantly she slid from the bed and grabbed Castles blue satin robe from the back of his bedroom door. She ran across the cold floor to his kitchen and turned on his coffee machine. Opening the cupboards she eventually found the mugs and placed them on the counter before heading to the fridge. With the door open Kate froze when she heard the door to the loft open. She heard the sound of a bag dropping to the ground and footsteps come towards her.

"Afternoon Dad."

Kate bit her lips and closed her eyes for a few seconds before grabbing the milk and shutting the fridge.

"Hi Alexis."

The young woman looked at her stunned and Kate pulled the robe around her more tightly. She realised she was standing in her boyfriends loft naked under his robe, with his daughter who couldn't look more shocked if she had slapped her.

"What are you doing here Kate?"

Kate licked her lips before swallowing delaying her talk with Alexis.

"Umm your dad and I are together now?"

Alexis frowned. "Together?"

Kate nodded. "I am in love with your father."

Alexis looked at her almost mimicking Gates' steely gaze from yesterday before her eyes softened.

"You hurt him, I hurt you."

Kate smiled. "Ok"

"Do I smell coffee?"

Kate looked up to see Rick striding into the room; thankfully he had the thought to out on boxers and a t shirt.

"Afternoon Dad, you just getting up?"

Kate laughed at the comical look that crossed his face when he realised his daughter was in the room. He nervously looked between his daughter and girlfriend. He had to stop himself from doing a little dance at the thought of Kate and girlfriend being in the same sentence.

"Yeah."

"Something keep you up" she smirked looking at Kate.

Rick walked over to his daughter before kissing her on the head. "I make you a deal, dear daughter. I don't ask you about your night, you don't ask about mine."

Alexis nodded. "Ok but Kate told me the two of you were together."

A grin broke out on Rick's face. "Did she now." He turned to look at the woman wearing his robe and he hoped nothing else.

Kate shrugged as she handed him a coffee. "She is an adult now Rick, she deserved to know the truth."

Rick wrapped his arm around his daughters shoulders. "Are you ok with this."

Alexis looked at Kate and then back at her father. "If you're happy, than I am happy."

Rick hugged his daughter before rounding the bench and slipped his arms around Kate and gave her a peck on the cheek. Kate kissed him back not even attempting to retreat out of his arms. He looked at his daughter to gauge her reaction but she simply smiled at them.

"Well I am going to go up to my room to get some sleep. With my head phones on." she added as she left the room.

Rick looked down at Kate still in his arms. "So what do you want to do today?" The fact that she was still here made him hope that she had planned on spending the day with him.

Kate shrugged. "Whatever we want Rick, the future is ours for the taking."

Rick spun her around in his arms. "I think you have been spending too much time with me, with words like that."

Kate smiled. "I was thinking not enough personally."

Rick nodded. "I take it back, definitely not enough. if you have no ideas on what to do I think my daughters subtext about wearing headphones means we can make some noise."

Kate's eyes widened. "Castle" she practically squealed. "Your daughter is upstairs."

Rick shrugged at her. "Katherine Beckett I was thinking of playing laser tag. What was your dirty mind thinking?"

Beckett blushed, ok so she had been thinking of going back to bed with him.

Rick kissed her on the head before walking off to his room to change. "Best out of five gets to be on top."

Kate's mouth opened wide at Ricks retort. Abandoning her coffee she chased after him, for once in her life, she was going to enjoy losing. Dating Rick was going to be a life altering experience and she was ready for this new challenge. It wasn't going to be all rainbows and unicorns. She hadn't yet told him about her resignation, but if they were together than there wasn't anything they couldn't get through. Together. Forever. Always


End file.
